Chasing Second Chances

Read Chasing Second Chances for Free Online

Book: Read Chasing Second Chances for Free Online
Authors: Shelly Logan
Marrick.”
    Bryan debated whether or not to shake his hand, not really wanting to but at the same time, not wanting to be rude. In the end, he shook it, remembering his promise to Kate to be on his best behavior. “Bryan Knowles. Kate’s told me about you.”
    “I’m sorry I can’t say the same about you,” Lloyd said.
    Bryan tried not to frown.
    “What do you do?”
    “I’m a cardiologist,” Bryan answered proudly.
    “Oh, I see.” Lloyd sat on the arm of the couch. “That must be quite a lucrative profession since cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of human mortality.”
    “It is a very fulfilling profession,” Bryan corrected. “It is an honor for me to be able to help people live longer.”
    “How noble,” Lloyd remarked. “You almost remind me of Kate’s sister, Eleanor.”
    This time, Bryan could not resist frowning as soon as Lloyd had turned his head away. Not only was Lloyd mocking him, he was also trying to impress his familiarity with Kate upon him, which he did not appreciate at all.
    “Well, Ellie and I have some common ideas,” Bryan lied. He had never met any of Kate’s siblings before but was not about to give Lloyd the satisfaction of that knowledge.
    “Ellie?” Lloyd raised an eyebrow. “She never liked being called that before.”
    Bryan grinned but did not comment to that. Instead, he said, “Well, I should get going. I need to get some supplies. Kate has to eat.”
    Lloyd gave a low chuckle. “You seem to spoil her.”
    “Kate is not a child,” Bryan said, his temper rising a notch from the remark which he felt was uncalled for. “She is a fully grown woman who is capable of distinguishing between what she wants and doesn’t want, and what she needs. I am simply taking good care of her.” He paused then could not resist adding, “It’s about time someone did.”
    Lloyd looked at him, his annoyance apparent. “Are you saying I didn’t take good care of her? Look around you, this house, all of this, came from me.”
    “Giving someone a lot of things is not taking care of her,” Bryan said.
    “You don’t know anything,” Lloyd told him, standing up. “You don’t know what Kate and I had or why we fell apart.”
    “It doesn’t matter. All I know is that you allowed what you had to fall apart. You hurt her.”
    Lloyd took a step forward. “You’re just jealous because she loved me first, because I’m the father of her children…”
    “If you had been even just one bit a good father, Kate would not be suffering right now.”
    “Oh, so it’s my fault? If I recall, you were the one who…”
    Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a scream. At once, Bryan ran up the stairs, Lloyd right behind him. He went straight to Kate’s bedroom, knowing that that it was she who had screamed, and sure enough, she was sitting on her bed, crying and shaking. Bryan wrapped his arms around her.
    “It’s okay,” he told her as he rubbed her back and stroked her hair. “It was just a dream.”
    “Oh, Bryan. The kids…”
    “Shh. It’s all right now. It was all just a bad dream. They’re safe and so are you.” He kept rubbing her back as she sobbed, waiting for her to relax against his chest. “I’m here. Everything is going to be fine.”
    Lloyd closed the bedroom door gently and stepped away.
    As much as he wanted to be with Kate, to comfort her as well, he knew there was only one spot for a man in that room and it had already been filled.
    And it was simply too painful to stand in the doorway and watch.
    Slowly, he walked down the hall, stopping by Lena’s bedroom, smiling when he saw the music box that he had given her, and the doll, and the lamp, and the picture frame…
    Giving someone a lot of things is not taking care of her.
    The words Bryan had spoken came back to him, cutting him just as sharply as they had the first time. He didn’t like Bryan, of course, didn’t approve of him even though he was a cardiologist and seemed to

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